Humane Society marks bravery of youth

Press, 1 June 1985, Page 8

Humane Society marks bravery of youth

A Christchurch youth is among recipients of several awards for bravery made yesterday in Christchurch by the Royal Humane Society. Craig Sheridan McKay was awarded a certificate of merit for his actions in Christchurch in September last year when a man set himself on fire. Mr McKay, then 16, tried to douse the high flames by covering the man with his jacket and then connected a garden hose to put the fire out. The society said he had shown great promptness in his actions and saved a life while putting himself at risk. The society awarded four bronze medals for bravery. One went to Allan Gordon Meyer, who in October, 1983, rescued two persons from a submerged car near, the southern motorway between Papakura and Takanini.n* - ■ Mr Meyer had to swim some distance in a swift, treacherous current to free those in the car. He put his life in danger affecting a most praise-worthy rescue, the society said. Murray Taylor’s award was for his courage and determination in rescuing two whitebaiters washed away at the Rakaia rivermouth in October, 1983. He plunged into the river to chest height to pull a man

and a woman to the bank. He had to bring the man in from 30 metres out. Mr Taylor, who was not a strong swimmer, saved the woman’s life and probably that of the man also, the society said. David Clifford Newland, a police constable, rescued an elderly woman from a burning house in Hawera in October, 1983. Constable Newland broke a house window and made four attempts to enter the house before he was able to find the woman and drag her out. The woman was sent to hospital. Constable Newland, although in a distressed condition, recovered without medical attention. It was a determined rescue without thought of risk to his own life, the society: said. ■ A second policeman also received a bronze medal. Constable Murray Roy Rosenbrook swam out to the bar at the Rangitikei rivermouth to assist two persons in difficulty in February last year. He organised rescue help before swimming out to stay with them, one of them being distressed. Constable Rosenbrook did not hesitate to put his life in danger by swimming more than a kilometre to rescue the two persons, the society said.

The society issued an in memoriam certificate for Michael Robert Bryant, who drowned trying to rescue a girl swept out to sea off the Greymouth coast in August, 1983. Mr Bryant successfully rescued a boy also swept off the beach by a wave. He then returned to rescue the girl but eventually was swept out to sea where they both drowned. The rough surf, cold temperatures and driftwood made the rescue attempt particularly difficult, but Mr Bryant did not hesitate to risk his life to try to save the children, the society said. Robert Major, aged 11, was awarded a certificate of merit for rescuing his baby sister from the Kinloch Road railway crossing, north of Tokoroa, where she played in the path of a train. In August last year, Robert realised his sister was in danger and ran across and snatched her out of the path of the train. Although the engine driver saw the baby and tried to stop, the train pulled up 100 metres further down the track from where the child had been. Robert’s prompt action had undoubtedly saved his sister’s life, the society said. Stephen Trevor Tamahoe Clayton received a certifi-

cate of merit for his part in rescuing a boy, aged nine, from a submerged van in the Horomanga River, near Galatea, in March last year. The river was in flood when Mr Clayton walked into it to try to free two persons from the van which he had seen crash into the river. He could not open the vehicle’s doors because of the current and drove to a nearby farm for help, s With Graham Alexander Caie, he returned and tried again to free the trapped persons. Eventually, the two pulled the boy -clear; ■ and with the help of others righted the van, but the driver had drowned. Mr Caie was awarded a letter of commendation for his part; Both had shown considerable courage in dangerous conditions to save a life, the society said.i Thomas Patrick Cooper was awarded a letter of commendation for his rescue of a child trapped underwater in a crashed car. He pulled other occupants of the vehicle clear after it rolled down a bank at Ongarue into the Ongarue River in December, 1983. Mr Cooper pulled the child free and gave her • mouth-to-mouth resuscitation until she regained consciousness. Without ,Mr Cooper’s action the child would ; have i; died, the society said..